Method and machine for assembling spools



Dec. 28 1926.

'A.. WATROUS ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SPOOLS Filed Dec.8, 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 was? Dec. 28 1926.- 1,612,083

, I. A. VVATROUS ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SPOOLS FiledDec 6, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,083

I. A. WATROUS ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SPOOLS Filed Dec.8, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 23 1926. 1,612,083

I. A. WATROUS ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSBMBLING sPooLs ed ec- '8,1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 28 ,1926.

. l. A. WATRQUS ET AL 7 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBIQING SPOOLS FiledDec. 8, 1923' '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 28 1926.

l. A. WATROUS ET AL Filed'Dec. 8, 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 28 1926.1,612,083

- I l. A. WATROUS ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SPOOLS Filed 81926 7 Shets-Sheet 7 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Patented Dec.28, 1926.

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ISAAC A. WA'IROUS, F BRIDG-EEORT, CONNECTICUT. AND LIQRMAN MARSHALL, 0FNASHUA, NEVJ HAMPSHIRE; SAID V/ATROUS ASSIGNOR T0 SAID MARSHALL.

METHOD AND MACHINE FOB ASSEMBLING SPOOLS.

Application filed December 8, 1923.

The present invention relates to methods and machines for assemblingspools, and is more particularly concerned with the assembling of paperspools, each consisting of a central tube or core and a pair of disks onthe ends of the core.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and machinefor assembling spools of this general nature in a convenient andeconomical manner. l/Vith this object in view the invention consists inthe method and machine hereinafter described and particularly defined inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a right hand side elevation ofthe preferred form of spool assembling machine; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 4is a plan View, partly in'section, of the central portion of themachine; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the manner of feedingand assembling the spools; Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5 showing the partsin slightly advanced position; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of thespring detent for the disk; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the diskmagazine; Fig. 10 is arear elevation of the disk magazine; Fig. 11 is adetail of the actuating means for the spraying device; Fig. 12 is adetail of the tube portion of the spool; Figs. 13 and 14 are viewsshowing the manner of assembling the end disks on the tube; Figs. 15 and16 are details illustrating the operations of the heading tools; andFig. 17 is a front view of one of the heading tools.

The illustrated machine is designed for assembling spools of the typeparticularly illustrated in Figs. 12 to 16. The spool comprises a coreor tube 20 of rolled paper provided with tapered ends upon which arereceived disks 22, each having a central opening within which the end ofthe tube eX-' tends. After the mounting of the disks on the ends of thetube, the ends are headed or peened over, as illustrated in Fig. 17 tohold the disks securely on the core.

The machine for assembling the spools comprises a frame 26 havingmounted thereon a tube magazine or hopper 28 within which a. number ofthe tubes 20 are supported. Beneath the magazine 28 the frame isprovided with a pair of longitudinal ways or tracks 30 over which acarriage 32 reciprocates. The carriage when in its rearward position.permits the lowermost tube to Serial No. 62 9,3355.

fall directly on the ways in the path of the carriage being held fromrolling forward by a pair of spring clips 84, one attached to each oneof the ways. The carriage is provided with a forwardly extended lip 36which engages the tube directly beneath it on the forward movement ofthe carriage and serves to hold thetube against upward movement. On theforward motion of the carriage the spring clips 34 are depressed,permitting the tube to pass freely thereover. The carriage isreciprocated over the ways by means of a link 38 connecting the rear endof the carriage with one arm of a bell crank lever 40 which, in turn, isconnected through a pitman 42 with a crank 44 rotated through gears 46from the main shaft 48 of the machine, the shaft being rotated from anysuitable source of power through fast and loose pulleys 50 of the usualconstruction (see Fig. 3). y

Directly forward of the tube magazine are supported two disk magazines52, one on each side of the carriage, serving to hold a plurality of thedisks 22 and feed them in proper position to be engaged by the tube toform the complete spool. Each disk magazine consists of a bottom plate54, two side plates 56 bent inwardly at 57, and a presser 58 having agrooved base 59 which slides over the bottom plate 54 to feed thedisks'inwardly. The bottom and side plates are supported at the innerend upon a bracket 60, presently to be described in detaih'and at theouter end upon a bracket 62, the bottom plate being secured to anupwardly extended projection 64 of the bracket to permit the slidingpresser to move freely the whole length of the magazine. The presser isurged inwardly by a weight 66 connected with the presser by a cord 68passing over a pulley 70 on the. bracket 60. The presser is providedwith a hook '52 which may be vdroppedover the end of the bottom plate 54to hold the presser outwardly to permit filling of the magazine. One ofthe side plates is provided with a-spring 74 pressing through a suitableopening against the disks to hold the latter firmly in proper positionin the magazine. The innermost disk in each magazine is fed from themagazine at the proper time by means of a vertically reciprocating plate76 of substantially the same thickness as one of the disks. The'plate isprovided with a triangular notch 78 to center the disk properly on itsdownward feeding movement. The plate is mounted on a bracket 79 which isattached to the under side of the shelf 80 of a reciprocating carriage82, the carriage being adapted to slide over posts 84 attached at thelower end to side plates 86 which extend the full length of the machine.The carriage is connected through a link 88 with one arm of a bell cranklever 90, the other arm of which is connected through a link 92 with thebell crank 40. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that thefeeding devices are actuated to strip off one disk from each maga- Zineas the carriage 32 is approaching its rearward position. As shown inFig. 9 the disk which is being fed from the magazine slides over theface of the bracket 60 and is engaged by a spring detent 94 secured tothe bracket, an adjustable stop 95 serving to position the diskaccurately. Each bracket 60, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is formedintegral with the side plate 86 and is provided with two angularlydisposed faces 96 and 98, the former being directly under the diskmagazine, and the latter being parallel to the path of motion of thecarriage. The disks after being moved by the feeding devices intoengagement with the spring detent 94 assume the positions indicated indot and dash lines in Fig. 4, the central openings of the disksextending slightly over the edge of the faces 96 in such position thatthe disks will be engaged by the ends of the tube 22 as the tube isbeing moved forwardly by the horizontal carriage 32. Immediately uponthe engagement of the tube with the disks the latter are released fromthe spring detents by means of cams 100 depending from the carriage 32and adapted to engage pins 102 on the sprin de-tents as indicatedparticularly in Figs. 1 and 8. The continued forward motion of thecarriage 32 causes the disks to straighten into a position substantiallyparallel to the faces 98, the ends of the tube being meanwhile receivedwithin recesses 104 of the brackets. The motion of the disks past theforward edge of the face 96 serves to push the disk on to the. tube therequisite distance to form the desired length of spool.

As the carriage 32 completes its forward movement the spool is broughtinto position to have the ends of the tube headed over. In order tocenter the spool properly for the heading operation the ways areprovided with a slight depression 106 within which the tube is seated.The tube is retained in the depression by springs 108 depending from anoverhead arch 110 and also by a latch member 112 pivoted upon a bracket114 of the machine and urged upwardly by a light tension spring 116secured between the latch 112 and a part of the machine frame. Thecarriage 32 is provided with a central groove 118 to provide access forthe rear end of the latch 112 while the spool is being seated. Provisionis made for re moving from this position a spool which has previouslybeen subjected to the heading operation. For this purpose a pair ofpusher-s 120 pivoted to the carriage at 122 and urged upwardly towardthe carriage by tension springs 124 serve to engage the tube portion ofthe headed spool and to unseat it from the centering devices, as shownin Fig. 6, from which the spool moves into position for subsequentoperations presently to be described. On the rearward motion of thecarriage, after a new spool has been seated, each pusher is free to passunder the tube against the tension of the springs 124 b virtue of theinclined rear face 126 of the pusher. The end disks are retained againstinward movement during the heading operation by means of plates 128adapted to bear against the inner faces of the disks as indicated inFig. 4.

The heading operation is performed by a pair of heading tools indicatedgenerally at 130, one on each side of the spool. Each heading toolcomprises an arbor 132 having a rounded end 134 adapted to be insertedinto the end of the tube. The outer end of the arbor is provided with asliding keyway 136 by which the arbor engages with a pulley 13S mountedin a yoke 140 attached to the machine frame. Each pulley 138 is rotatedthrough a belt 141 connecting with a pulley 142 mounted on the mainshaft 48. The heading tools are moved inwardly for the heading operationby means of a block 144 which reciprocates over a vertical post 146being connected to the bell crank 40 by means of a link 149. The block144 connects on either side through a link 147 with a bell crank 148,the upper arm of which is forked at 150 and provided with pins 152engaging between collars 154 secured to the arbors. By these connectionsit will be seen that the arbors are continuously rotated and are adaptedto be moved inwardly toward the spool at approximately the time that thecarriage 32 assumes its rearward position.

The construction of the heading tool is illustrated in Figs. 15 to 17.The arbor carries near its end a die 156 having an annular groove 158 bywhich the end of the tube is turned over into the position illustratedin Fig. 16. The die is also drilled radially at a number of points 160in order to take up any chips or peelings from the end of the tubewithout obstructing the motion of the die.

The particular formation of the spool due to the above mentionedoperations is illus trated in Figs. 12 to 16. After the tube has caughtthe end disk in its angular position, as shown in Fig. 13, the disk isforced on to the tube. as shown in Fig. 14, there being a slightshoulder 161 formed immedi- CJI cured thereon.

ately inside the disk. The entrance of the end of the heading arbor intothe tube, as shown in Fig. 15, serves initially to distend the outer endof the tube so that the disk is firmly impressed therein, thus forming adecided shoulder at 161. At the conclusion of the heading operation, asillustrated in Fig. 16, the disk is therefore positively retained on thetube, being held against inward movement by the shoulder 161 and againstoutward movement by the headed over part of the tube.

In order to enhance the durability of the finished spool, it isdesirable that the'ends of the tube be hardened so as to retain thedisks permanently on the tube. Provision is accordingly made forapplying to the ends of the tube an adhesive or hardening agent. Thishardening agent may be of any suitable form, but it is preferred to usesodium silicate which, as is well known, may be of such thin consistencywhen applied as to impregnate the tube thoroughly, and which uponexposure to the air hardens into a practically indestructible, glassycoating. For the accomplishment of this end the machine is provided atthe front with a pair of brackets 165, 166, each consisting of ahorizontal portion 168 secured to the machine frame, and an inclinedportion 170 which is secured through an angleiron 172 to the machineframe immediately adjacent to the position in which the tube is centeredfor the heading operation. The inclined portions 170 of the bracketsconstitute a runway down which the assembled spool may roll after beingunseated by the pushers 120. A guard 17% secured to the arch 110 andextending down over the runway serves to retain the spool properly onthe runway during its clownward course. At the lower ends of thebrackets 165, 166 are journaled two spindles 1'76 and 17 7 each having apair of rolls 179 se- The assembled spool after coming from the headingoperation assumes the position indicated at 180 in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 11,the tube portion of the spool being supported by the rolls. While inthis position the spool is rotated by means of a pair of reciprocatingtoothed bars 182 and 183 secured at their rear ends to a fork 185depending from the carriage 32. The bars are normally supported during.the motions of the carriage on rollers 187 mounted on studs 188journaled in the horizontal portions of the brackets. The forward end ofeach bar is provided with teeth 190, the extreme end of the bar beinginclined at 192 to permit the bars to ride up on the tube of the spooland rotate the latter upon the forward motion of the carriage, asindicated in Fig. 6. During this movement the ends of the tube aresprayed with sodium silicate through nozzles 193 and 19% which connectthrough tubes195 and 196 with a suitable source of supply. The nozzlesare mounted on brackets 198 and 199 secured to the brackets 165 and 166.Each of the nozzle brackets has pivoted to it a bell crank lever 200provided with a cam roll 202 adapted to engage a cam 20% on the toothedbar during the rotating movement of the spool, the other arm of the bellcrank lever having a pin and slot con nection with a valve 206 of thenozzle, such that upon the rotation of the spool the valves are opened,thus permitting a spray of the hardening agent to be directed againstthe ends of the tube. The runway portions 170 of the brackets areprovided with slots 208 to receive the cam rolls. Upon the continuedforward motion of the toothed bars a notch 210 in each bar permits thebars to drop over the tube, the tube being thereafter pushed off therollers 179 by means of a lug 212 secured directly in back of the notch.The completed spools after being thrown oil. the rollers may be receivedand collected in any suitable receptacle. Upon the retraction of thecarriage the toothed bars ride upon the rollers 187 which, being at alower level than the spool, permit the retraction of the bars withoutengagement of the valve operating cams with the cam rolls. The nozzlesare therefore operated only upon the forward motion of the toothed barswhen a spool is in proper position, but not during the rearward motionof the bars. It will be seen that after an assembled spool has beenreleased from heading position it does not immediately roll the entirelength of the runway into position 180. Since the unseating from headingposition takes place during the forward motion of the carriage, thespool will roll down the runway into the position indicated at 21 1where it rides upon the top of the toothed bars, being positivelyretained by the overhanging guard 17 1. Upon the retraction of thetoothed bars the assembled spool rolls down the runway over theremainder of the course and takes its position on the rolls 179 withoutexcessive velo city, thereby insuring proper positioning or the spool onthe rolls.

li e claim 1. A machine for making spools having, in combination,mechanisms for automaticaily applying disks with central openings overthe ends of a core tube, and means for securing the disks upon the tube.

2. A machine for making spools having, in combination, a tube magazine,means for naming a tube from the magazine, means for applyii'ig enddisks having central openings to the tube with the ends of the tubeprotruding through the disks, and means for securing the disks upon thetube.

A machine for making spools having, in combination, a tube magazine,means for moving a tube from the magazine, means for presenting a pairof end disks each with a central opening angularly in the path of motionof the ends of the tube to place the disks upon the tube, and means forsecuring the disks to the tube.

4. A machine for making spools having, in combination, means forautomatically placing end disks upon the ends oi a core tube, andmechanisms for heading over the ends l? the tube to secure the disksthereon.

5. A machine for making spools having, in comb ration, supports for apair o'l end disks, means for moving a core tube in a manner to engagethe disks and place them upon the ends of the tube, and mechanisms forheading over the ends of the tube to secure the disks thereon. V

6. A machine for making spools having, in combina ion, tube and diskmagazines, heading devices, means for moving a tube from the tubemagazine toward the heading devices, means for applying a pair of enddisks from the disk magazines to the ends of the tube during themovement oi the tube, and means for operating the heading devices tosecure the disks upon the tube.

7. A machine for making spools having, in combination, a tube magazine,two disk magazines, means for moving the tube from the tube magazine,means for presenting a pair of disks from the disk magazines angularlyin the path of motion of the ends or" the tube to apply the disks uponthe ends of the tube, and means for securing the disks to the tube.

8. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, av tube magazineadapted to contain a plurality of tubes having tapered ends, a trackbeneath the magazine adapted to receive tubes successively from the tubemagazine, a reciprocating carriage for moving the tube over the track,disk magazines, means for presenting disks from the magazines to beengaged by the ends of the tube during the motion of the tube, and meansfor securing the disks on the tube.

9. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, horizontal Ways,means for moving a tube over the Ways, means for presenting a pair ofdisks a-ngularly'With re spect to the ends of the tube, the disks beingprovided with central openings for engagement with the tube, means forstraightening the disks in parallelrelation to each other on thecontinued motion of the tube, and means for securing the disks on thetube.

10. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, horizontal Ways,means for moving a tube over the Ways, a pair of brackets adjacent tothe Ways, each having a surface inclined toward the Ways and a surfaceparallel to the Ways, means for supporting a pair of end disks on theinclined surfaces in position to be picked up by the tube during themotion of the latter, the disks being turned into parallel relation witheach other on passing the parallel surfaces of the brackets, and meansfor securing the disks on the tube.

ll. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, a horizontaltrack, means for moving a tube along the track, and a bracket adjacentto the track having provision for supporting a disk in position to beengaged by the tube and for moving the disk into position on the tubeduring the motion o1 the latter.

12. A machine for assembling a spool from a. tube having tapered endsand a pair of disks with central openings, the machine having, incombination, a reciprocating carriage having provision for engaging thetube, a pair of brackets having surfaces parallel to the path of motionofthe tube and surfaces inclined thereto, means for supporting the diskson the inclined surfaces in position to receive the tapered ends of thetubes in the central openings, the disks turning into positionsperpendicular to the axis out the tube upon passing the parallelsurfaces of the brackets, and means for se curing the disks on the tube.

13. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, a tube magazine,two disk magazines, means for moving a tube from the tube magazinetoward the disk magazines, and means for presenting a disk from each ofthe disk magazines in position to be picked up by the tube during themovement of the latter.

l i. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, means forplacing end disks upon a tube, means for securing the disks on the tubeincluding centering devices for the tube, and means for heading over theends of the tube While the latter is centered.

15. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, means forautomatically placing end disks upon a tube, means for centering thetube, rotating heading dies, and means for moving the heading diestoward the tube to head over the ends of the tube and hold the diskssecurely in place.

16. A spool assembling machine having, in combination means forautomatically placing end disks upon the tube, means for centering thetube, heading tools disposed adjacent to the ends of the centered tube,and means for moving the heading tools in- Wardly to head over the endsof the tube and hold the disks securely thereon.

17. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, a horizontallyreciprocating carriage, a tube magazine, two disk magazines, thecarriage having provision for moving a tube from the tube magazine toengage a pair of disks from the disk magazines at the ends 0t the tube,centering devices for engaging the tube at the limit of movement of thecarriage, means for heading over the ends of the tube While in centeringposition,

and pushers mounted on the carriage for unseat-ing the assembled spoolon the next forward movement of the carriage.

18. A machine for securing end disks upon a tube core to form a spoolhaving, in combination, means for supporting the core, and rotatingmechanisms for automatically heading over theends of the tube. 7

19. A machine for securing end disks upon a central core tube to form aspool having, in combination, centering devices for the core, androtating means adapted to be moved into engagement with the ends of thecore for heading over the ends of the core to secure the disks thereon.

20. A machine for securing end disks upon a central core tube to form aspool having, in combination, a pair of rotating heading devices, andmeans for operating the heading devices to engage the protruding ends ofthe core to secure both disks upon the ends of the tube simultaneously.

21. A machine for securing end disks upon a central core tube to form aspool having, in combination, means for heading over the ends of thetube, and means for hardening the ends of the tube thus headed over.

22. A machine for securing end disks upon a central core tube to form aspool having, in combination, mechanisms for heading over the ends ofthe tube, and means for applying a hardening compound to the ends of thetube.

23. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, tube and diskmagazines adapted to contain respectively a plurality of tubes and enddisks, means for assembling an end disk on each end of a tube, headingdevices for securing the disks on the tube, and means for impregnatingthe ends of the tube with a hardening agent.

24-. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, a tube magazineadapted to contain a plurality of paper tubes, disk magazines containinga plurality of end disks with central openings, means for placing a pairof disks on the ends of a tube, means for heading over the ends of thetube, means for spraying the ends of the tube with a hardening agent,and means for rotatmg the tube during the spraying operation.

25. A spool assembling machine having, in combination, a carriage, apair of Ways for the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage overthe ways, a tube magazine containing a plurality of paper tubes andadapted to drop the lowermost tube in position to be moved by thecarriage, two disk magazines each containing a plurality of paper diskswith central openings, means for stripping off a disk from each magazineinto position to be engaged by the tube on the forward motion of thecarriage, centering devices on which the tube is seated at the limit ofthe forward movement of the.

carriage, means for heading over, the ends of the tube while the tube iscentered to hold the disks securely thereon, pushersmounted on thecarriage :tor unseating the assembled spool from the centering devicesvonthe next forward movement 01 the. carriage, nozzles for spraying theends of the tube with a hardening agent, asupportfor the spool duringthe spraying operation, and means connected with the carriage forrotating the spool on the support while the, tube isbeing sprayed. 26. Amachine for making spools having, in combination, means for applying enddisks to a paper core, means for heading over the ends ot'the core, andmeans for applying a hardeningcompound to the ends" of the core to hold27. An apparatusfor securing'en'd disks upon a central core tube to forma spool having, in combination, means forheading over the ends of thetube, and means for impregnating the ends of the tube witha hardeningcompound. Y

28. An apparatus for securing end disks upon a central core tube to forma spool havin in combination, a support for the the disks securelythereb7 core, and means for applying a hardening agent to the ends ofthe core.

29. An apparatus for securing end disks upon a central core tube to forma spool having, in combination, a support for the core, means forrotating the core, and means for spraying a hardening compound upon theends of the core during the rotation thereof.

30. The method of making a spool which consists in forming a tube withtapered ends, placing end disks simultaneously on the ends of thetapered tube to form shoulders on the tube and thereafter simultaneouslyheading over both ends of the tube.

31. The method of making a paper spool which consists in placing enddisks on the ends of a paper tube to form shoulders on the tube, headingover the ends of the tube and thereafter hardening the ends of the tubeto retain the disks thereon.

32. The method of making a paper spool which consists in placing enddisks simultaneously on a paper tube which is tormed with tapered endsin a manner to form shoulders preventing removal of the disks, headingover the ends of the tube, and thereafter spraying the ends of the tubewith a hardening agent to retain the disks firmly thereon.

33. A machine for making spools havin in combination, a pair ofmagazines for holding end disks each with a central opening, means forstripping a disk from each magazine, means for presenting a core tube tobe ing, a reciprocating carriage adapted to en gage with a tube, meansfor stripping an end disk from each magazine to be presented in the pathof movement of the tube and adapted to be engaged thereby, and means forsecuring the disks upon the tube.

85. A machine for making spools having, in combination, tube magazine, atrack, a reciprocating carriage for engaging a tube from the magazineand moving it along the track, a bracket adjacent to the track, a diskmagazine arranged to hold a plurality of disks, each with a centralopenin a re- 237 c'iprocating stripper for removing a disk from themagazine and moving out over the bracket in position to be engaged bythe end of the tube, and means for securing the disk on the tube.

36. A machine for making spools havin in combination, a disk magazineadapted'to hold a plurality of disks, a stripping mechanism comprising areciprocating member, a stripper plate secured to the reciprocatingmember and of a thickness approximately equal to that of one of thedisks, and means for placing adisk thus stripped from the magazine onthe end of a core tube.

37. A machine for making spools having, in combination, a track, meansfor moving a tube along the track, a pair oi disk magazines arranged atan angle with respect to the track and adapted to hold a plurality ofend disks, each with a central opening, reciprocating stripping meansfor removing, a disk from each magazine and placing it with its centralopening in the path of motion of the end or the tube, means foradjusting the end disks in a position perpendicular to the axis or thetube during further movement of the tube, and means for securing thedisks upon the tube.

ISAAC A. \VATROUS. NORMAN MARSHALL.

